


Savior Kings Ballad

by GalliStormsong44



Category: Fire Emblem Series, Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: A lot is going down and Dimitri needs help finding out what, Angst, Breeding, Byleth is Best Dad, Crusader Kings Inspired Somewhat, Desk Sex, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd Needs a Hug, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd is Trying, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd is a Mess, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd-centric, Dimitri's friends are the best, F/M, Fluff and Smut, Harems, Male My Unit | Byleth, Multi, Other, Overpowered Byleth, Porn With Plot, Rough Kissing, Rough Sex, Sex, Smut, Soon-to-be-overpowered Dimitri, all the rarepairs
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-01-19
Updated: 2021-01-19
Packaged: 2021-03-17 10:00:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,050
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28847199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GalliStormsong44/pseuds/GalliStormsong44
Summary: Dimitri was not a happy man. His kingdoms were united, the lands freed from the ravages of war, and the people finally recovering. The world was finally off the axis it had been crashing towards for the last hundred years. However, even as he is dubbed savior king the voices in his mind cling to him tempting him towards vengeance even as he fights them. The professor he had turned to for guidance so many times had left him in the dead of night not answering his pleas to bargain. What was worse was the handling of the new united Fodlan was a delicate matter he is all but unprepared to face. Brought to bear with an unfamiliar situation and now with more unfamiliar threats, Dimitri has found comfort in those close to him. Perhaps a bit too much than what should be healthy for the newly united nation.  But, Dimitri would march on as he always had, finding interesting new things about the land he was raised in, what it took to reclaim it… and what would make him happy.
Relationships: Constance von Nuvelle/Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd & Ashe Duran | Ashe Ubert, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd & Dedue Molinaro, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd & Felix Hugo Fraldarius & Ingrid Brandl Galatea & Sylvain Jose Gautier, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd & My Unit | Byleth, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Flayn, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Hapi, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Hilda Valentine Goneril, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Ingrid Brandl Galatea, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Manuela Casagranda, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Marianne von Edmund, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Petra Macneary, Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd/Rhea, Mercedes von Martritz/Dedue Molinaro, Slight Annette Fantine Dominic/Felix Hugo Fraldarius, Slight Dorothea Arnault/Sylvain Jose Gautier
Comments: 7
Kudos: 12





	Savior Kings Ballad

**Author's Note:**

> So this started off as a random pwp moment where I could just have my boy Dimitri have the harem he deserves into a grand arching plot now and I could not control it. I hope everyone enjoys the wild ride that I am cooking up. First work so I hope everyone enjoys it! Please leave comments and Kudos to help me improve

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Dimitri is called out to the church, Byleth gone and missing for a while now since his last meeting. He meets and reminisces about old friends and the situation on Duscur and many of the other nations ever since the war is won. The world is still recovering from the ravages that Adrestia's war had brought but maybe just maybe, they could recover together.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First Work! Please Leave a Kudos if you could. Believe me, this chapter went through a lot of reworks. No smut but I plan on writing more next chapter.

_ Year 1187 Lone Moon _

The thundering hooves of the king’s horse would crush the snow-covered ground in the gentle spring. To take leave of Fhirdiad was no small gift for Dimitri as he made his way southwest to Garreg Mach Monastery. The light of the evening sun would hit his face as he blinked, staring at the mass of hills and plains. The monastery had been rebuilt to its former glory having been put to good use by the church once more. The new laws including the relief of those who had been harmed by the war were one of the first motions carried in the new republic he had set up alongside Byleth. Perhaps then…  
  
“Your Highness you can’t keep daydreaming! Flayn and Seteth are waiting for us!” 

Sylvain’s voice sounded beside him as he came up grinning. His armored and horned horse would whinny. On its armor and his gauntlet was magical runes inscribed from which he could cast, a keepsake of their many battles with the death knight. Felix would ride up beside him still struggling on his reins. Dimitri would give a light smile towards him as he struggled to keep the horse from bucking him off.

“I believe I was waiting for someone to catch up.” Dimitri said, lips curled to keep from giggling. Felix fell a couple of notches short of a master of beasts.

Felix gave him a death glare as he seemed determined to get the horse under reins. The poor beast seemed like he was giving it a hard time as he fumbled his way with it. “I swear I would be faster on foot but the damned king  **insisted..** ”

“Said king would prefer to see you not kill the poor animal for not riding fast enough to your preference. You can come to my saddle. I’ll bring the horse out with a leash.” 

“Stay out of this Dimitri!”   


Dimitri would never be surprised that Felix had made a point to not call him boar in recent years. It seemed like a moniker that would stick longer than it had but the heir of Fraldarius had been such an asset assisting him in the politics of the nation. It was a cold day in the valley of torment when Felix would offer to take up a pen instead of the blade. Yet he was there on most of the diplomatic errands, even volunteering instead of Annette whom he trusted with both the Fraldarius and Dominic estates. Dimitri would stare for a moment as he found that Felix finally got his things in order, kicking the horse’s side to move in a light trot. The heir of Fraldarius turned to him with a slight scowl but pride in his eyes as he tamed the beast. Dimitri would return a small chuckle.

“Piss off.”   


“You did very well on your horsey, Felix. Would you like a snack before we head out?” Sylvain sniggered as he gave Felix a playful punch on the shoulder, to which he would receive a sharp jab in the side with the hilt of the Sword of Zoltan. “Damnit! OW!”   
  


Dimitri would roll his eye as he began to smirk at their antics. The brief little tussle would make him remember the times where they used to do it as kids in the snow when Ingrid wasn’t looking; otherwise, she would drag them by their ears. He wished she was here briefly but he recognized that the Galatea pegasus corps needed to be run by someone. Dimitri stepped in between them with a shake of his head.

“Alright, Sylvain no need for cruel and unusual punishment. He figured it out.”

“Tch… as if I wouldn’t…”

The hills of Gaspard territory were decided to be where they chose to make their stop, the slight rain and grassy plains made further movement through the lands with their horses a difficult procedure. The guard wanted to go in first to secure positions, but Sylvain would wave them down asking them to go in their separate ways. Gautier knights were swift as the wind and extremely disciplined, but Sylvain seemed to have a natural charisma when he asked them to ignore some protocols. Dimitri would only wish that worked on beings such a Dedue. He had only even stayed home in Fhirdiad because his wife, Mercedes, had a child on the way. 

Dimitri’s eye would darken for a moment looking towards the large number of people. He gripped his reins a bit tighter taking a deep breath. ‘It would be fine’ he reassured himself while his friends dismounted from their own horses. Dedue’s situation had been far from the best. Despite the recent pardon of Duscur and giving them a sizable portion of their land back from House Kleiman, they would get stares in the streets. Dedue and Mercedes were public with their wedding and while Dimitri had ensured there would be no active action taken against them, the way that Mercedes was looked at showed enough hostility that Dimitri feared whenever he was not there to protect them. Politics and innocence was one thing… but he had yet to remove the borders that divided them all. 

His thoughts returned to him once more by Felix, smacking him across the shoulder. “Dimitri you’re becoming more absent-minded. Keep up!” Dimitri only gave him a curt nod. “Apologies. A lot is on my mind as it stands. I heard that there was going to be an entourage to meet us today. Did they give any indication as to when they would be arriving in Gaspard?”

Sylvain would smile as he dragged Dimitri in a small headlock towards the town. The sound of merchants throwing up tarps to prepare for the night echoes while they put lamps to keep the place lit in the rain. The trip would soon have them throw up their hoods serving double as both disguising their identities and protecting them if the rain got any worse. The evening was falling soon and it was always best to keep all their goods within sight even if, through the efforts of the Knights of Seiros, the threat of banditry had been all but removed in the surrounding areas. Sylvain chuckled before licking his hand and adjusting Dimitri’s hair, slicking it back before Dimitri would shove him gently off of his person, the latter laughing.

“Lighten up Dimitri! Gods you’re going to be meeting our old friends, like Alois, Hanneman, Manuela…”

“Perhaps Dorothea…” Felix said with a look to the side. With their hoods thrown up, it was barely noticeable, but a small smirk showed on his face while he eyed down the tavern. “What rejection is this… number 7 or 8?”

“9… but she didn’t slap me this time!” Sylvain said as he gave a wide grin and a wink. Dimitri would roll his eye. Despite what they said, anyone could tell that they had a thing for one another, both too pulled away from their own jobs to have anything official. Partly his own fault for keeping Sylvain with him during his negotiations with Sreng. Anyone could tell he was happy when he could meet the dual star of the Mittlefrank Opera. 

The tavern door pushed open as the three entered removing their weapons and their hood at the gate. Only the nobility were allowed to keep their holy relics, the Aegis Shield and the Lance of Ruin, and they would be put on the backs of their respective wielders. It had been a rather uneventful evening in the tavern based on what was going on, but one voice made Dimitri grin, and Felix groan.

“So captain Jeralt gives the villagers back their coin and says ‘Here is your coin back… the bandits were dying to give it to you!’ Still cracks me up this time as well.” A familiar mustached man would say as he slams his hand on the table with a howl of laughter. Dimitri as well would give a loud hearty chuckle, the best he had in the 10 years he was in the monastery.

“Could it be?” Alois said as he looked up to the voice before giving a wide smile waving the others over. “My fellow wizard of wit! It has been too long!” Dimitri clapped the Knight of Seiros on the shoulder smiling. 

“You’ll have to thank my friend Felix for that. With all the time he spent fiddling with the reins, one could swear he had been ‘horsing’ around.”

Alois would give a grin as wide as a peeled banana before he roared with laughter. “You have not been neglecting your training I see!” Sylvain would roll his eyes and Felix looked like he was contemplating betraying the monarchy then and there before, mercifully, the puns would end. “The others are here to see you as well, Dorothea and Manuela arrived not long since. Said they wouldn’t miss this reunion for the world. Ashe even dropped by!” Alois said before pushing them along towards the corner in the room where the two songstresses and now Ashe were chatting. Dorothea had been dressed as she had rushed out of a play, her silky red garments still on tied tightly in a bodice that would have made most assume she was not a combatant. If only they knew the magic at her disposal, they would not take her lightly. Manuela, however, was in her teacher's outfit. Though, it was modified slightly. She wore red-accented garb, connecting her to her pupil as they were. Dimitri would turn to look towards Ashe and Alois, both of them now wearing the symbol of Faerghus and Seiros on their shoulders demonstrating their loyalties. Ashe dressed in traditional winter furs, while Alois had his own heavy fur jacket from Leicester. It was strange that Ashe and Alois had come prepared, yet Manuela and Dorothea had come rather underdressed. But Dimitri tossed that thought to the side as he sat down with them. 

Sylvain’s face lit up for a moment as he talked to Dorothea, immediately bringing his hands to come down on her shoulders. The playful action would cause her to almost flinch before she turned to roll her eyes at him. “I see you brought along the help Dimitri…” She would say as she waves towards Sylvain. “I’m afraid you’ll find I already hung my cloak in my room.” Dimitri opened his mouth to respond only for the red-haired dark knight to reply in his stead. “That's not too much of a shame. It's not the clothing I planned to take off you tonight.” Dorothea coughed at the boldness of the statement and Dimitri would only shake his head. He thought to remind Sylvain about the carousing, but he would actually stop looking at him. Sylvain was far from the man he once was, instead, focusing his efforts on Dorothea and helping the kingdom out whenever he could. Dimitri had seen self-doubt early in his life but now… he had been taking charge of himself. Dimitri just waved him off to have fun as he talked with the others. Felix had already swooped in to engage Ashe in conversation. The two had become close as brothers since they had their talk in the monastery. Which ultimately had meant leaving him alone with the two teachers and comrades he had in the Knights of Seiros.

“Dimitri you’re certainly looking better than you had previously! Eating well is doing wonders for your complexion. When we were meeting a year ago, you were worked to the bone. I thought I was looking at a skeleton!” Manuela exclaimed. She would immediately pick up his arm for a moment and smile. “Some weight to them as well. I can’t believe it, you actually may not need me to hold your hand anymore.” She would give a small wink as the king felt his face turn red. Alois would prod him on the shoulder. “Yes, perhaps the burden would lessen now since you got rid of all the baggage.” These two would kill him faster than any assassin’s dagger. Dimitri had been asked and all but forced by his friends to see Manuela about his nightmares and she had done a great job putting him back on a proper schedule after the year was over.

“Yes, in large part thanks to you, Manuela. I honestly could not see myself getting better without your assistance as… indelicately as you may have forced it upon me.” Dimitri scoffs jokingly before giving her a small smile ignoring the burning red on his cheeks. He would chug some water before Manuela’s eyes became laced with concern as she pats his shoulder. “How have you been holding up? I haven’t seen you since Byleth….” She glanced towards Alois. “..Left” Alois finished the sentence for her, chugging down his own mead. Dimitri narrowed his eye slightly before answering.

“He didn’t disappear. He left. I do not know what for…” 

“You mean he talked to you before he left?” Alois was shocked as he leaned closer, eager to know more. Alois looked desperate for a clue on Byleth’s whereabouts, his widened eyes said it all. Dimitri would be calm pouring himself some mead as the waitress came by. It was not a pleasant tale, but he prepared himself to tell it anyhow.

_ Year 1186 Blue Sea Moon _

Dimitri’s eye shot open, the dream vanishing into the mists as wake took him. His hand reached in front of his face clutching it. “Father….” He grunted. The ghosts had their hold on him yet. His hands felt cold and clammy like he had a fever of some kind. A premonition of things to come? Dimitri would almost need to light a lantern to make sure his hands were not stained in blood as they had been before. He had been working late shifts so many times since they had united Fódlan. Anything to keep from sleep. Any place the ghosts of those before would not haunt him. Dimitri would swiftly throw on his shirt hoping for a walk. His boots clicked through the castle gates slowly as he made his way through the somewhat nice temperature of Faerghus this time of year. Still... it was ungodly hot for his taste. Much better to curl and sit next to the fire and warm oneself than strip themselves bare.

In his own thoughts, he would almost bowl over Ingrid as he was walking in the dark, only barely seeing the light of her lantern in his sight. A slight goosebump would run down Dimitri’s spine as he realized in the span of a half breath what was going to happen.

“And what the hell do you think you are doing?”

Harsh emerald eyes met him as Dimitri rubbed the back of his head. Busted before he could even make a proper getaway. “Apologies but…” A solid smack rang out as a gauntleted hand struck his shoulder in a hard punch. The angry eyes of Ingrid didn’t cease as she almost let out a slight growl.

“No more sorries! I can’t listen to you tell me those same damned words and then immediately run off on me again! Dimitri you are going to tell me what is wrong and go to bed even if I have to chain you to the bed myself!” Ingrid would only pause a moment to her credit as she raised her hand. “If you say anything about that sentence I will toss you off this castle. Consequences be damned!” 

Dimitri would raise his hands in surrender, sighing as he shook his head. “I… I’m seeing the visions again. Each time I head to bed they wait for me like vultures. I… I can’t go to them anymore. I do not wish to… see them again.” 

Ingrid stayed quiet for a moment. Then she would pat him on the shoulder pulling him into a slight hug. Dimitri would clutch her close, her comforting hug making him want to never let go. “I do not want to fail them…”

Ingrid would begin to speak softly as she removed herself from the hug holding his arms still.“I’m sorry your highness this is…hard for you. I understand that. But you cannot keep sneaking out like a thief in your own castle. I… I will make you some tea. I’m not the professor… but I am getting quite good at it.”

Dimitri would chuckle as he finds some humor in her demeanor. He never understood it, but he could find a tell in her now that she opened up to him more. Whenever she called him by his title, her knight side slipped out in her attempt to gain control of the crazy situation Ingrid found herself in. When things got tough, he may buckle, but Ingrid would push herself to stay strong to catch him.

“You would be a good queen Ingrid.” He muttered under his breath a slight smile playing on his lips. It was the truth. She was everything he wasn’t. Able to make the tough calls in life and face the truths of the world that he found himself lacking the strength to. She turned to him smiling. But her eyes… Ingrid never truly showed her sadness but her eyes showed her emotions too well for Dimitri. An open book to him. 

“How am I supposed to take that, your highness?” She said quietly, mirroring the words he said to her a year prior. Dimitri would not know she had taken such a conversation to heart, his own feeling like it was thundering out of his chest. 

“You are a skilled leader. You know your duty is to your people and you would have performed better in my stead. I wish I could have your heart. Perhaps I would do a better job.” He would shrug before he looked towards her with a soft smile on his face. What he saw was the same smile mirrored with none of the joy in it. It nearly made him question why for a moment.

“I’ll reassure you that you are the only king I would ever want as many times as you like Dimitri. Still… it’s not quite the response I was hoping for.” Ingrid muttered. Before Dimitri could question her further a sound would wake them from their conversation. Dimitri would fly down the stairs as Ingrid soon followed, almost slamming into the wall as the stairs curved. Assassins? No, too loud. They would come in through the isolated area instead of the front damn door. Not sabotage either. Imperial troops would be far too far away and those that were still rebelling against the kingdom's forces were a minority and not a significant enough threat on their own. ‘So what was happening?’ Dimitri thought. His heart would hammer against his ribs, ears pricking upwards to find any trace of sound to pinpoint the location. The sound of… horseshoes and reins being tugged. “The stables!'' Dimitri said quickly, grabbing a hold of his lance. No time for Areadbhar. The wind would blow against his skin as he rushed out feet stamping on the ground ready for combat. He would turn the corner of the building, dirt pushed aside, skidding to a halt to face the intruder only to find his lance knocked off-center.

His opponent was swift to let go of the horse's reins while Dimitri swung once more, the pole end of the spear coming towards his adversary missing by a hair’s width. His assailant was still in a cloak that ran over his body, as Dimitri swung the lace to face him. The wind removed the man's cloak hood from his face revealing bright green hair and similarly calm eyes. The Ashen Demon would stare back towards him, the once archbishop of the church of Serios soon backed by the Jeralt Mercenaries.

“Stand down.” Byleth stated a calm voice coming down as he looked at Dimitri with a soft smile. “It’s been a while, Dimitri. Still a bit slow on your fore-swing. Too much weight on the right foot. But you haven’t been practicing all too often so I can forgive that. The improvised back-end strike was a cool trick though.”

Dimitri would smile all but dropping his lance to the ground as Ingrid caught up with him the same smile breaking her face. Then however the situation caught up with them and the shock would hit twofold. “Prof.. Byleth what are you doing here? You didn’t call or tell us anything? If we knew we would have…” Dimitri was hastily cut off as Byleth gave a shrug.

“Sorry… in truth… I had hoped to avoid us ever meeting.” Byleth would grunt rubbing his chin. He would look as tired as Dimitri felt and that said something. Dimitri would shake his head. If it was indeed a vision he was experiencing it was a cruel one. He would step towards Byleth for a moment only to find that he would take a step back. “Unfortunately I need to borrow some horses from you, your highness. Can’t quite run off to fight without it.”

“You are… heading to a battle,” Dimitri said cautiously. ‘Why are you moving away?!’ Dimitri almost yelled in his head. Byleth was a cryptic individual but he was never like this! Like some kind of self-indulgent man who was looking for an escape. 

“Aye. Fighting alone this time around. Against an old enemy, you should say. Enemies of the goddess. Not your brawl so I didn’t wanna involve you. Flayn and Seteth are in charge while I’m gone. They have a note detailing that. You should be able to run this show yourself now Dimitri. Count yourself lucky.” Byleth said simply staring down Dimitri. Dimitri peered back into his professor’s eyes, frowning. Searching for something, anything! But the damnable eyes showed no signs of anything as of yet, simply staring him down. The same eyes that earned the Ashen Demon his moniker, drove their forces to victory in a calm and orderly fashion now burned into him with a determination like no other. 

“Your enemies are my own Professor. You know that better than anyone.” Dimitri stated, his lance drawn out. He eyed the professor down simply before working up his own nerve. “I’d rather not remind you why I’m an asset rather than a hindrance. If you talk to me on the matter, I would not need to.” 

Ingrid was silent through most of the proceedings but would quickly move towards her own hero's relic. Luin would swiftly be removed from her back, reacting positively to the glow of her own crest while she would maintain a stern glare on the professor. “You’re doing the exact same thing that you warned Dimitri against! Professor, let us help!” The formality was back, Dimitri thought before his attention focused back on his once teacher.

“For what it is truly worth… I am sorry about this Dimitri.'' Byleth would only give a slight hint as to what was happening. The sound of steel was being unsheathed, with speed matched only by Felix, himself rang throughout the air. It was Dimitri’s own hearing that forced him to put the lance in a defensive position. Eyes locked with one another, the metaphorical pin was dropped as they soon found their rhythm. Silver blade against the wooden shaft of the lance would come out in a familiar dance. Prods and pokes. Dimitri would muscle through a guard barely pushed back and away from its target by the hilt of Byleth’s blade. Byleth would take a swing with the flat of his blade that would have left a welt against Dimitri’s skull had he not raised his lance to block with swift precision.

This dance had happened many times before. Many instances had forced them to cross blades. Dimitri’s fits, training, and drills, but it always ended the same way. No matter how much Dimitri tried to climb the summit that was the Ashen Demon, it was always too much for the boar. A lashing welt struck his arm, without the armor sending the hand to drop the lance just enough for Byleth to give a devastating uppercut to Dimitri. The king of lions soon found himself swiftly flat on his ass, blinking to readjust to the spinning of the low light and fuzzy air.

“Dimitri…” A cracked voice said, but it was like Dimitri was hearing through the rain. It appeared the uppercut did not knock him down but a secondary blow to the side of the head. Dimitri only could groan as he recognized the voice as Byleth. He leaned down towards him and his own sorrow showing at the end waving Ingrid off from attacking. “I… I’ll see you again. I swear it!”

Dimitri could only grunt lightly, attempting to stand. Then the world turned a graceful black, the ghosts disturbing him no more.

_ Year 1187 Lone Moon _

“So the size of it was Byleth showed up in the middle of the night, stole a battalion’s worth of Faerghus cavalry, then promptly left?!” Alois whisper-shouted. He would run a hand through his hair as Dimitri gave him a withering look. Though Dimitri had left out the events prior such as his dreams and the conversation with Ingrid, he had told them enough to get a sense of the situation he was faced with. “You had the right to arrest all of them for stealing the property of the crown. Why did you not?” Alois leaned in for a second staring into Dimitri’s good eye. Dimitri would snort slightly taking a sip of mead before replying.

“Byleth looked like hell… before I lost all consciousness, he told me he would return. I can only ever assume that where he left towards, battle laid not far ahead. There is only one way I can get to him now. It is searching for him on my own terms.”

Manuela looked at him with an eyebrow arched and a hand on his shoulder. Dimitri had come to realize this was her attempt towards sympathy in the many times he had gone to her to ease his mind. He would take a deep breath knowing a lecture was coming. However, what she said next surprised him.

“Byleth was like a father to you, a mentor when you had none. I know that you feel hurt now. But he cared for you like a son the same way. You will be alright without him. You made something of yourself in the worst time of your life and became what the people needed now. Rest Dimitri. He made a decision. You deserve to trust him. He never let any of us down yet.”

Dimitri’s eye widened at the sudden wisdom. He would brush the back of his head slightly before giving a slow nod. “I suppose that is true as well. Apologies. This is irking me more than I thought it would. Perhaps I need to rest.”

Alois appeared sheepish but would ruffle Dimitri’s hair slightly. “I suppose this old gizzard has made me a bit too curious for empathy at a time like this. Apologies, your highness. I shouldn’t have pressed on the issue so soon after meeting.”

Dimitri would simply shake his head getting up from his own chair to pay for the drinks. “Please Alois. I don’t need coddling just for taking on some responsibility. Honestly, I am more worried that I will bore you in conversation. Events in Fhirdiad have become so political I just want to lie in bed and not look at the heaping paperwork. Without Felix for a spar or keeping Sylvain from smaller antics, I fear I may have lost my mind long ago.” He would move towards his pouch grabbing two gold and sliding them across to the tender. ‘That should cover the sum of… oh blast might as well add 5 more. Knowing Manuela she probably had that many bottles before arriving.’ Dimitri would think, slightly smirking at the thought of the songstress performing a show in the tavern drunk out of her mind.

The sun had set completely now, the only light provided by the dim lanterns that surrounded the tavern. Each of them would soon take up their individual residences, Felix waving Dimitri goodbye with a nod as he and Ashe left to see the latter’s brother nearby. He apparently had gotten married and Ashe wished to give his congratulations when he got the news that the group was traveling in the same direction. Felix offered to go with him for the time, towards the establishment that the church had nearby. Sylvain had already accosted Dorothea away to whoever knows where. At least that is the excuse Dimitri would give if he didn’t already have a few ideas. Alois would leave as well eventually, moving towards some of the rooms the tavern set up for him. Dimitri moved to follow, only to be stopped by a hand tugging on the furs of his coat.

“Your highness.. a small request if you wouldn’t mind?” Manuela said as she pulled him by the coat. “I would love it if you could walk me to my room. Being the chivalrous type, you wouldn’t let a drunk lady walk alone would you?”

Dimitri would almost roll his eye at that. Based on the way she drank normally, this day’s bottles didn’t get her close to the level of tipsy needed to have that level of protection. Her magic would do fine. Instead, a far more serious look came on her face. A request from his once confidant rather than a personable one. With a sigh, he would eventually take her hand.

“Very well. I do wish I wasn’t the one experienced enough with carrying you. In fact some days, I wish you were wounded rather than simply tipsy.” The snark got him a mean stink eye but Manuela would finally let out a giggle. 

“Someday you will be injured and I will have to take my sweet time healing you.” She would say prodding his chest with a finger. A smug smile broke her face as she leaned on him. Dimitri shook his head with a snort. With friends like these, enemies every now and then wouldn’t be so bad.


End file.
